Tom Scioli’s American Barbarian Comes To IDW This July

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This July, artist and co-author of the critically acclaimed Transformers vs. G.I. JOE, Tom Scioli unleashes his anarchic comic-book odyssey, American Barbarian. This new edition from IDW Publishing collects the complete series with exclusive, behind-the-scenes bonus material and an all-new introduction by comics legend Rob Liefeld.

Conceived and executed as only Scoli can, American Barbarian stretches the comics medium to its limits, which J. Caleb Mozzocco of Comic Book Resourcesdescribed as “pretty much the best thing ever.”

American Barbarian tells the complete tale of Meric, the last American on a revenge quest across the POST-post-apocalyptic landscape of New Earthea. The half-tank/half-mummy Two-Tank Omen murdered Meric’s family and payback is due. The young barbarian will fight every zombie, mutant motorcycle gang, and robosaur (robotic dinosaur) if that’s what it takes to keep the American Dream alive.

“It’s a distillation of everything I love about the comic book medium and its history, especially the tawdry bits,” said Scioli. “I love trash and when you love trash, no matter where you go, you’ll always find friends. It’s an international language.”

American Barbarian: The Complete Series collects Scioli’s experimental webcomic in its entirety along with the never-seen-before process section “American Barbarian Apocrypha.” The story changes gears and shifts tone both in its writing and in its artwork. Kirbyesque cartooning gives way to watercolor and photocollage. It’s Jack Kirby meets Robert E. Howard meets Chuck Jones.